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Stream & Watershed Assessment & Restoration (SWAR) Program

The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) Surface Water Hydrology and Hydraulics section
has basic and applied research experience in watershed and stream
assessment and restoration. The mission of the Stream & Watershed Assessment & Restoration (SWAR) Program Program is to protect and improve the
quality and quantity of water resources while protecting infrastructure,
enhancing habitat, and sustaining biodiversity.

The ISWS' Peoria Manager serves as Principal Investigator and Manager of
the SWAR Program. The SWAR Program coordinates closely with other ISWS
and CWS staff as well as other ISWS Centers, Scientific Surveys,
University, federal, state, local, and non-governmental organizations.
The SWAR Program publicizes stream and watershed related research efforts
through a variety of public outreach mechanisms. Stream and watershed
assessment approaches, restoration designs, restoration demonstrations
and research findings gained from research conducted by the SWAR Program
have proven useful to public and private organizations and individuals in
Illinois and across the nation. With each passing year the on-the-ground
restoration project demonstration efforts of the SWAR Program are having
positive impacts on the landscape and the research assessment and
monitoring data continue to be useful for making adaptive management
decisions and for evaluating project performance.

South Kickapoo Creek is located in La Salle County, Illinois near
Marseilles and is a bluff ravine system of the upper Illinois River
valley. The watershed is 4,769 acres at 7.5 square miles excluding Lake
La Salle severe erosion is occurring in South Kickapoo Creek near
Marseilles Fish and Wildlife Area. Inspection of the site revealed a
massive headcut caused by a breach in a man-made dyke around a deep
abandoned gravel pit. ...

This project applied geomorphic assessment protocols to improve upon the
current Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) process by simplifying the
approach to modeling, meaningfully engaging stakeholders, and adding
detailed implementation planning and project identification to the
process. The revised approach offered cost savings and allowed local
stakeholders to benefit immediately. ...

This project is designed to perform assessments in the Illinois River
Basin including the tributary watersheds to identify project locations
for restoration related construction to meet overall goals and objectives
of the Illinois River Basin and Tributaries Ecosystem Restoration
Project. The intent is to bring focus and coordinated integration to the
assessment efforts. ...

The Cache River Watershed in southern Illinois is unique and listed as a
“Wetland of International Importance.” Channelization of the Cache
River along with other alterations to the natural hydrology, habitat
fragmentation and excessive erosion and water pollution have been issues
that local, state, and federal interests have been trying to collectively
combat for years. The State Water Survey in the Office of Scientific
Research and Analysis was asked to design and install structures to
counteract the negative effects of channel down-cutting in an effort to
save the precious wetlands. ...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Nonpoint Source
Monitoring Program was interested in determining the effectiveness of
land management strategies in reducing watershed erosion, sediment
transport and sediment delivery to improve water quality and biological
diversity in a rural landscape setting. The Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency (IEPA) selected the Lake Pittsfield watershed to
determine how well erosion control practices can reduce the amounts of
sediment entering a small rural community water supply lake. ...

The Waukegan River project was designed to demonstrate the effectiveness
of stream restoration techniques. The watershed is heavily urbanized and
has been for many years, therefore, there is little control over
stormwater discharge (quantity or quality) resulting in flashy runoff
rates and heavy stormwater pollutant loads. Sediment was initially deemed
to be the main pollutant. Water quality concerns also included
cross-connections between sanitary and storm sewers, hydraulic
undermining of the sanitary and stormsewers, potential sanitary sewer
overflows during wet weather, severe streambank erosion, channel incision
and artificial lining. ...

Program Goal

The goal of the SWAR Program are to conduct field- and aerial-based
assessments of watersheds and streams to target and prioritize stream
channel segments for restoration and to develop innovative conservation
practices, designs, and management approaches which mitigate negative
impacts of erosion and sedimentation at the local stream segment and
landscape scale both in the State of Illinois and the Nation.

Program Objectives:

Conduct geomorphological and biological assessments at various
landscape scales.

Offer planning guidance and educational outreach to naturalize
streams and watersheds and advance the adoption and use of innovative
natural resource management approaches and in-stream channel
stabilization and conservation practices.

Rapid and accurate assessment and identification of landscape and stream
channel instability at all scales combined with a determination of
causative factors is critical when recommending restoration alternatives.
The SWAR Program uses research results to develop or adapt restoration
techniques and demonstrate innovative channel erosion control designs
that stabilize the landscape, safeguard associated infrastructure, and
sustain ecological biodiversity to improve the quality of life for
Illinois residents.

The Center's SWAR Program has a proven track record for conducting
research assessment and monitoring of both physical and biological
conditions and for conducting demonstrations of innovative conservation
practices in Illinois and in other states. The Program is credited for
noteworthy analysis and restoration projects in the Embarras River, Cache
River, Spoon River, Hall Creek, Waukegan River, Panther Creek, Cox Creek,
Blue Creek, North Creek, Court Creek, Hickory Creek, and a host of other
watersheds in Illinois. Learning experiences from these and other SWAR
Program projects have been useful to other organizations across the
United States and in other countries.

Brief Example of a Few Projects Undertaken by the SWAR
Program

Descriptions of current and recently completed projects include the
following selected Illinois projects as examples of activities performed
by the SWAR Program: